Golf, Saudi money and sportswashing

Human rights and professional sport

A chara, – Reading how professional golfers reacted to the announcement that the PGA and LIV golf tours are to merge makes me believe that a universal golf code exists with the following rights: the right to earn money while playing golf; the right to play golf in any country; freedom not to be judged on the source of funding for any tournament; freedom not to be judged on golfers’ support for regimes that ignore universal human rights; the right not to be discriminated against just because they believe that earning big money is more important than basic human rights; and the right to privacy when flying on commercial airlines or corporate jets. – Is mise,

DERMOT O’ROURKE,

Lucan,

Co Dublin.

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Sir, – I feel a great deal better about the Saudi regime murdering journalists since they bought the game of golf. – Yours, etc,

VINCENT HEARNE,

Chinon,

France.

Sir, – We have seen this happen over and over again. In the Premiership. In the NFL. And now it is golf. Money and television squeeze the life and romance out of the purest of things, sport.

“Professional sport” is a contradiction in terms. Add large quantities of money, cook at 180 degrees on television and you get a business. Nothing more. Nothing less. – Yours, etc,

MICHAEL DEASY,

Bandon,

Co Cork.